"Why I Stayed in That Relationship": Barriers to Indigenous Women's Ability to Leave Violent Relationships. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McKinley, Catherine E.; Liddell, Jessica L.
• Is Part Of: Violence against women. Volume 28:Number 14(2022)
• Page Start: 3352
• Page End: 3374
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Native American or American Indian or Indigenous -- intimate partner violence -- violence -- barriers -- historical oppression; Abused women -- Periodicals; Women -- Crimes against -- Periodicals; Violent crimes -- Periodicals; Femmes victimes de violence -- Périodiques; Femmes, Crimes contre les -- Périodiques; Crimes violents -- Périodiques; 362.8292
• DOI: 10.1177/10778012221104507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-8012

Abstract

Indigenous women in the United States are among the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), which has reached endemic levels. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand contextual factors and barriers to becoming liberated from violence. Reconstructive analysis of data from a critical ethnography with a sample of 231 women across two tribes who described IPV relationships identified the following themes: controlling relationships, losing sense of priorities, using children, socioeconomic stress, family pressures, and restricting relationships. Results revealed these tactics, which parallel those used in the patriarchal colonialism of historical oppression, impeded women's liberation from relationships.